Turbine.



R. H. RICE.

TURBINE.

APPLICATION FILED snr 15.1912.

VWtnesses: hwwentoc R. H. RICE.

TURBINE.

APPLICATION FILED BEPT.18,1912.

Patented Ja l 28, 1914.

2 SHEETS BHEET 2 Inventor,- Richard H.Rice,

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UNITED STATESLAEENT OFFICE.

RICHARD H. RICE, 0F LYNN, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR T0 GENERAL ELECT RICCOMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

TURBINE- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July #38, 1914.

Application filed September 18, 1912. Serial No. 721,005.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, lticnaiu) H. RICE, acitizen of the United States, residing-at Lynn, county of Essex, Stateof Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inMeans for Enablin a Condensing-'lurbine to Run Non-Cone ensmg, of whichthe following is a specification.

This invention relates to elastic fluid turbines, and its tfliject it toenable a condensing turbine to be easily altered into a non-eondensingone without the necessity of elaborate accessories.

A condensing turbine is usually so designed that the drop from boilerpressure to atmospheric pressure is distributed among the severalstages, each stage extracting its special portion of the energy of thesteam. One or more stages are added in which the drop from atmosphericpressure to the vacuum pressure are utilized in wheels especiallydesigned for that duty. Now when an attempt is made to run such amachine non-condensing, the wheels designed for the vacuum stages are asa rule worse than useless, throwing out the ratios of pressure drop forwhich the several wheels have been designed, and even putting a drag onthe inachine. It is, therefore, desirable to cut the vacuum wheels outof service under .such conditions by exhausting the elastic fluid froman intermediate stage to atmosphere so as to shunt the final stages.

The object of the present invention is to provide an improvementarranged for this purpose.

In connection with condenser systems it is customary to provide an airrelief valve which automatically opens ,ivhen the vacuum is lost so asto connect the exhaust to atmosphere. in carrying out my invention Itake advantage of this, and provide in the turbine, at the stage wherethe steam drops down to atmospheric pressure, a valve opening directlyinto the exhaust pipe. The steam will. therefore, leave the turbine andescape through the relief valve of the condenser, thus cutting out ofservice the stage or stages which are designed to run betweenatmospheric and vacuum pressure. More over, the wheel or wheels in saidcut out will not be shut up in a closed chamber, but will run idly inchambers open to the at mosphere through the condenser and will thus besaved from injurious heating.

in order to properly handle it.

For a consideration of what I believe to be novel and my invention.attention is directed to the accompanying description and the claimsappended thereto.

In the acccmpanyin drawing, Figure 1 is a side elevation of aTiorizontal steam turbine equipped with my invention; Fig. 2 is alongitudinal section of a portion thereon, and Fig. 3 an end view,partly in sectlon.

The drawing shows three stages 1, 2 and 3, the first two beingrespectively high and low pressure stages, while the latter is designedto run on the vacuum and exhaust into the conduit 4 which is connectedto a suitable condenser as for example a condenser of the jet orbarometric type. In the low pressure stage 2. the steam is assumed tofall to about atmospheric pressure. A chamber 5 communicates with thisstage, and, with the port (3 opening into the conduit 4, forms a passagefor connecting stage 2 directly with said conduit. This chamber 5 isformed by extending the diaphragms on opposite sides of the stage 3, theextension on the right forming a portion of one of the walls of theexhaust conduit. A valve 7 of the rotary type is seated in the passageand controls the port (i. This valve can be opened and closed by anysuitable means, such as the hand wheel 8, the worm 9, and the segmentWorm gear 10 on the spindle of the valve 7. An indicator 11 shows theextent to which the valve has been opened. The volume of the elastic[laid in the stage 2 is quite great and it is, therefore, necessary thatthe port 6 be of substantial size The port, therefore, is made to extendsubstantially across the turbine, as best shown in Fig. 3, By thisarrangement of the valve and passage I provide a structure whichcconomizes space and enables the parts to be assembled without anincrease in the dimensions of the wheel casing.

\Vhenevcr it becomes necessary to change over the operation of theturbine from condensing to non condcnsing, the only thing to be done issimply to open the valve 7. This cuts out the vacuum stage 3 and allowsthe steam which has dropped to atmospheric pressure in stage 2 toexhaust directly to the atmosphere through the relief valve of thebarometric condenser. Since stage 3 is open to the atmosphere, the Wheelin that stage can run with no danger of overheating. In accordance withthe provisions of the patent statutes, I have described the prinoiple ofoperation of my invention, together with the apparatus which I nowconsider to represent the best embodiment thereof; but I desire to haveit understood that the ap- 1m rntns shown is only illustrative, and thatthe invention can be carried out by other means.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the UnitedStates, is

1 The combination in an elastic fluid turbine fi, the condensin type, ofmeans for 1 connecting an interme inte stage of thecondenser when theturbine is run non-condensing, said means comprising a narrow passage ofsubstantially the width of the turhim, and a valve of the rotary typecontrollin the same.

2. T e combination in an elastic fluid turbine of the condensin type, ofmeans for connecting an interme iate stage to the condenser when theturbine is run non-condensing, said means comprising apassage formed byextendin the dia hragms on opposite sides of sai interme iate stage, anda rotary valve controlling the same.

In an elastic fluid turbine, the combination of a casing, diaphragmsdividing the easing into a plurality of stages, rotors in each stage,and exhaust conduit for the final stage, the walls of the diaphragm ofan in termediate stage being extended to form a narrow passage extendingsubstantially across the turbine, one of said extensions also forming awall of the exhaust conduit and having a horizontally extending orttherethrough of substantially the lengt of the wall, a rotary valvecontrollin said port, and means for operating said va ve.

In witness whereo I have hereunto set my hand this fourteenth day ofSeptember,

RICHARD H. RICE. Witnesses JOHN A. MOMANUS, J r., FRANK H. JOHNSON.

Oopiu of this patent'may be obtained for five cent: each, by addreulngthe Commissioner of Patent Washington, D. 0."

stage can run with nodanger of overheating.

In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes, I havedescribed the PllIlciple of operation of my invention, together with theapparatus which I now consider to represent the best embodiment thereof;but I desire to have it understood that the apparatus shown is onlyillustrative, and that the trollin the same.

2. T e combination in an elastic fluid turbine of the condensin type, ofmeans for connecting an interme iate stage to the condenser when theturbine is run non-condensinvention can be carried out by .L. othermeans.

ing, said means comprising a'passage termed the dia hragms on oppositeby extendin sides of sai interme iate stage, and a rotary valvecontrollin the same.

3.- In an elastic flu1d turbine, the combina-.

tion of a casing, diaphragms dividing the easing into a p urality ofstages, rotors in each stage, and exhaust conduitfor the final stage,the walls of the dia'ohragm of an in= termediate stage being extended toform a narrow passage extending substantially across the turbine, one ofsaid extensions also forming a Wall of the exhaust conduit JOHN A.McMmos, Jr., FRANK H. Jonnson;

copies at this patent 'may be obtained for Me Geld each, by addressingthe commissioner 01' Patch,

. Washington, I). 0." I

[seen] 1914, upon the application of Richard H. Rice, of Lynn,Massachusetts,

It is hereby. certified that in Letters Patent No. 1,105,375, grantedJuly 28,

for an improvement in Turbines, errors appear in the printedspecification requiring correction as follows: Page 1, line 52, beforethe word will insert the word stages; page 2, line 15, for the word ofread to; same page, line 32, for the word and read an and that the saidLetters Patent should be read with these corrections therein that thesame may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Ofiice.

-- Signed and sealed this 10th day of November, D., 1914 R. WHITEHEAD,

- "Actingflommissioher of Patents.

It is herebycertified that in Letters Patent .No. 1,105,375, grantedJuly 28,

1914, upon the application of Richard H. Rice, of Lynn, Massachusetts,for an improvement in Turbines, errors appear in the printedspecification requiring correction as follows: Page 1, line 52, beforethe word will insert the word stages; page 2, line 15, for the wordofread to; same page, line 32, for the word end read an and that thesaid Letters Patent should be read with these corrections therein thatthe same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Oflice.

- Signed and sealed this 10th day of November, D., 1914.

[sun] R. F. WHITEHEAD,

Acting Commissioner of Patents.

